![]() What is a “Tutor”? The definition of a tutor is: "One who is acts as a private teacher and is charged with the instruction and guidance of another". A tutor can also be defined as: "A private instructor or coach who gives additional, special, or remedial instruction." Whatever the definition, at some point or other in our academic lives, almost everyone needs a tutor. Even the brightest kids may have one troublesome subject, or maybe they just need a little extra boost to get the higher grade and get into the secondary School or University of their choice. With the fierce competition to get into good schools, a little Mathematics tutoring , English tutoring, or Spanish tutoring may be just what you or your student needs. How Does Tutoring Help? Private tutoring can help students with learning disabilities to master subjects and study skills(Vadasy, Jenkins, & Pool, 2000); Private tutoring can help students who have performed poorly on yearly standardized tests (Robelen, 2002); Private tutoring can help academically and intellectually advanced students remain challenged—and, therefore, interested in their education—and, because it is customized, one-to-one instruction, private tutoring can go at the accelerated pace necessary for such students (as reported by Dr. Charlton in “The Story of My Life” in Charlton, Marolf, & Stanley, 2002); Private tutoring can help ensure that primary School students have a firm grasp on academic basics when school systems may be introducing more complex ideas before the basics have been mastered as a result of mandatory end-of-year standardized testing (MacDonald, 2003); Private tutoring can help students prepare for and maximize scores on standardized tests such as SEA, CSEC and CAPE. And, yes, private tutoring can also help students who are having difficulty with a particular subject—for as we all know, few of us are equally good at every subject: some of us are math people, some of us are language arts people, some of us are more interested in science or history—and, therefore, some of need additional help at some point in our educational lives in subjects we find particularly challenging). How Can We Help? Here at Grade A, we promote the benefits of tutoring by adding a little twist of our own. In addition to formulating Personalized lesson Plans based on the results of our Skills Assessment Test, we also analyse the likes and dislikes of the students to create an interesting programme. So for instance, if John who is having problems with Spanish enjoys playing games online, we at Grade A will incorporate internet based language learning games into his Personalized Lesson Plan. This way John will be more motivated to learn since he will be enjoying what he does! You don't have to be rich to hire a Personal Tutor. We also keep you updated with our monthly Progress Reports and offer email support and telephone support when needed. Private Tutoring is no longer reserved for the rich. At Grade A our prices are effective, affordable and of excellent quality. So if you are thinking about getting your child a Tutor call us today, we will be happy to assist you on your journey to academic success.
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![]() This is the second topic in our "Smooth Transition Series" which is dedicated to students entering the Secondary School System for the very first time. In the last post we looked at some ways in which you can make language learning a little easier. Today, we will be looking at how the internet can assist with language learning. For many students it can be very difficult to learn a language at this stage since they are forced to quickly adapt to many changes. They are no longer being spoon-fed by teachers, they have to adjust to the new school environment or risk being called a "loser" and of course they are expected to excel in their classes as well. To them language learning can be a chore- they already have a native language and so don't see the importance of learning a new one. So to many students, learning these languages is a big burden and in most cases they lack motivation to put any effort into learning these languages. Again fear not parents and students, as usual, the Grade A Blogger is here to help. I have combined a few language learning resources on the web which are not only informative but fun as well. Language Learning Resources Online 1. The British Broadcasting Corporation (bbc.com/languages) offers varying levels of instruction for 36 languages, with features including audio and video playback and translation. 2. Livemocha (livemocha.com), a two-year-old Web start-up, offers free basic lessons in 30 languages. Users can upgrade to advanced courses with additional features on a monthly or six-month basis. 3. Study Spanish.com (www.studyspanish.com) offers students help in all aspects of the Spanish language. You can either enjoy the free version or feel free to upgrade to premium version. 4. Languages Online (www.languagesonline.org.uk) offers help in five languages. You can have fun while learning by playing games and doing crosswords in the target language. There you have it folks. Just a few language learning resources online. There are many so feel free to do some research. Learning a language can be fun and interesting. Just find a site that you love and enjoy! ![]() This is the second topic in our "Smooth Transition Series" which is dedicated to students entering the Secondary School System for the very first time. Kids entering the Secondary School system face many challenges one being the new subjects which they now have to study. They no longer have to do just Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies but are also learning doing subjects such as Music, Home Economics and of course Foreign Languages to name a few. Today in the "Smooth Transitions Series" we will be looking at a few ways in which kids can adjust to learning a new language. All Secondary Schools in Trinidad and Tobago offer at least one foreign language to its students. In most cases this would be Spanish since Spanish is the first Foreign Language of Trinidad and Tobago. In other schools (such as the school the Grade A Blogger attended) new students are now given the task of learning two foreign languages. now learning one new language can be difficult but two can sometimes lead kids to feel a bit overwhelmed but fear not parents and students! As always the Grade A Blogger has come up with a few tips on language learning and a few sites to assist you on your journey to academic success. 1. Set realistic expectations It is natural to feel uncomfortable in a language class. You're used to being in classes where the mode of communication -- the language of instruction -- is a given. In a language course, however, it is the mode of communication itself that is the focus of instruction. For this reason, a language course is different than most other courses you will ever take. Not understanding and making mistakes -- things that are negative learning indicators in other courses -- are a very natural part of the language learning process. Accept the fact that you will not understand everything. In fact, at the very beginning, you will not understand much at all. Remember that during the initial period of adaptation your ear and your mind are adjusting to the sounds and the rhythm of the language. Though you will not understand all of what is being said, you will be amazed at your increasing ability to make sense of the language. Remember that the only way to learn the language is through practice, practice, and more practice; in the course of practicing you will make many errors … and you will learn from them. 2. Break study time into smaller chunks Research shows that language students learn more effectively and retain more when they study frequently and forshorter periods of time than if they study infrequently for extended periods of time. Try to study each day, and whenever possible, several times a day. This means, for instance, doing a few homework exercises each day rather than doing all homework assignments the night before they are due. In addition, there are many otherwise mentally "idle" moments during the day when you can work in some studying. For example, you can review vocabulary while eating breakfast, recite the alphabet while showering, count your steps as you walk between classes, name as many object as you can in the target language on your to way school, take your vocabulary flash cards with you on a road trip. There are many moments during the day when you can squeeze in a few minutes of practice time. Through the repetition of material, it will be come increasingly familiar, until it eventually becomes an automatic part of your language repertoire. 3. Learn vocabulary effectively Vocabulary is the most essential element of communication. The more words you know, the more you can say and understand. The absolute best way to learn vocabulary is through the use of flash cards that you make yourself. Purchase a set of 3 x 5 index cards and cut them in half. (This makes them small enough to carry everywhere.) Write a vocabulary word on the front and its English definition on the back. As you learn more information about each word (e.g. plural forms of nouns, principle parts of verbs), you can add these to the cards. There are many ways you can use flash cards as a learning tool. To help you learn and remember noun genders, for example, you can color code the nouns by gender, either by using colored cards or colored ink. When studying, organize words in meaningful groups (e.g., by noun gender, in thematic categories, regular verbs vs. irregular verbs). Shuffle the cards or groups, so that you use the stack(s) in a different order each time. Use the cards in both directions: first look at the foreign language words and try to recall the English definition. Then shuffle and look at the English definitions and attempt to remember the foreign language words. Flash cards offer many possibilities. Take advantage! Stay tuned for Part 2 of this topic where we will discuss Language Learning on the Web.. 8/20/2010 Smooth Transitions "How to become an expert note-taker" Note taking in 10 Basic StepsRead Now![]() This is the first topic of our "Smooth Transition Series" which is dedicated to students entering the Secondary School System for the very first time. Ask anyone who has gone through the Secondary School System and they would tell you that one of the biggest challenges they experienced was adjusting to the style of teaching in the Secondary School System. No longer did teachers write notes on the board for students, no longer were they taught by just one or two teachers and of course the concept of the double and triple period. Today we will be looking at the issue of note-taking. Students entering Secondary School for the first time should note that perfecting the art of note-taking is important for their academic success. This is due to the fact that teachers will no longer be writing every piece of information on the board. Instead of writing the information on the board, teachers will be discussing the topics with the expectation that students will be making notes from these discussions. This is where good note-taking skills come into play. To assist you in developing your note taking skills, the Grade A Blogger has compiled a few tips. Ten Basic Steps: 1. Don’t write down everything that you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points. Concentrate on the "meat" of the subject and forget the trimmings. 2. Notes should consist of key words, or very short sentences. As a speaker gets side-tracked you can go back and add further information. 3. Take accurate notes. You should usually use your own words, but try not to change the meaning. If you quote directly from the author, quote correctly. 4. Think a minute about your material before you start making notes. Don’t take notes just to be taking notes! Take notes that will be of real value to you when you look over them later. 5. Have a uniform system of punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to you. Use a skeleton outline, and show importance by indenting. Leave lots of white space for later additions. 6. Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point. Condense your material so you can grasp it rapidly. 7. Don’t worry about missing a point. Leave space and try to pick up the material you miss at a later date, either through reading, questioning, or common sense. 8. Don’t keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one place. 9. Shortly after making your notes, go back and rework (not recopy!) your notes by adding extra points, spelling out unclear items, etc.. Remember, we forget quickly. Budget time for this vital step just as you do for the class itself. 10. Review your notes periodically. This is the only way to achieve lasting memory. Taking Useful Notes:* 1. Use dashes for words when the speaker goes too fast. Leave space so that you can fill in details later. 2. Use symbols to call attention to important words: underline, CAPS, circle, box, *, !, ?, or › . 3. When the instructor says, "this is important" get it exactly and * (mark it). Get a reference to the text or other source if you can. 4. Don’t erase a mistake and don’t black it out completely. Draw a single line through it. This saves time and you may discover later that you want the mistake. 5. Abbreviate – Shortcuts, such as abbreviations, are alternatives to writing everything longhand. Abbreviate only if you will be able to understand your won symbols when you go back to study your notes. Be constantly on the lookout for new and useful abbreviations and symbols to shorten your writing time. This will also increase your listening time. Commonly Used Symbols and Abbreviations: & and No. or # number = equal to, is the same as b/4 before ref. reference w/ with > greater than < less than i.e. that is vs. versus, as opposed to e.g., for example etc. et cetera Q. question b/c because w/o without By following these tips you will be on your to becoming an expert note-taker and an A student in no time! *From "*How to Succeed in College" by Gerow & Lyng and "Study Skills: A Student’s Guide for Survival" by Carman & Adams, Jr 8/20/2010 Smooth Transitions:surviving the transition from Primary schooler to Secondary schoolerRead Now![]() The new school term is upon us and thousands of students are anxiously awaiting the commencement of the new school term. For those students entering the Secondary School system for the very first time it can be a very exciting time. As someone who has gone through that stage before I can attest that entering the Secondary school system is both exciting and daunting. But fear not parents and students, the Grade A Blogger is here to help you get prepared for the jungle that is Secondary School. At Grade A we have created the "Smooth Transition Series". This is simply a series of blog posts with tips and information on how to prepare your child for the transition from Primary Schooler to Secondary Schooler. Topics range from note taking to surviving peer pressure. Stay tuned! ![]() Read aloud with your child. Find a comfortable spot where the two of you can read together every day for about 30 minutes. Take turns reading chapters from a book for pleasure, or read books that are above her reading level but are about things that interest her. ![]() The escalating price of print textbooks, the poor economy, and advances in electonic reading devices have all combined to foster a textbook revolution. Textbooks have been made available in electronic form for some time now. A significant limitation has been the inability of e-book devices to display the color illustrations, videos, and Web-linked supplements that publishers increasingly provide with their print textbooks. This limitation may soon be a thing of the past. Coming soon is a two-screen device called the eDGe, scheduled to be released in February. The two screens open like a book. The left screen is a standard e-book screen, while the right screen is an LCD screen that contains a virtual keyboard, an audio recorder, and a video camera. The dual screens are linked by a central processor. A black and white illustration on the standard left screen display can be moved in full color to the right screen. A link on the left screen can be opened in color on the right screen. There will certainly be a rash of new and improved electronic readers to follow. Textbook publishers will have to keep in step. The future of print textbooks is unknown. For now, we have to admit that we like our textbooks in print form and our music on CDs. The astounding recent success of Susan Boyle’s CD tells us we are not alone. Are there any other dinosaurs out there? ![]() Math is a unique subject. It involves symbols, formulas, specific procedures, textbooks that look different, and many unique words and terms. Consequently, it is important to use study skills that apply particularly well to math. Here are some you should use.
![]() Good Listening In Class It is important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn will be presented verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the same as listening to what they say. Listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay attention and think about and mentally process what you hear.
Here are some things you should do to be a good listener in class: Be Cognitively Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Make sure you complete all assigned work andreadings. Review your notes from previous class sessions. Think about what you know about the topic that will be covered in class that day. Be Emotionally Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Your attitude is important. Make a conscious choice to find the topic useful and interesting. Be committed to learning all that you can. Listen with a Purpose. Identify what you expect and hope to learn from the class session. Listen for these things as your teacher talks. Listen with an Open Mind. Be receptive to what your teacher says. It is good to question what is said as long as you remain open to points of view other than your own. Be Attentive. Focus on what your teacher is saying. Try not to daydream and let your mind wander to other things. It helps to sit in the front and center of the class, and to maintain eye contact with your teacher. Be an Active Listener. You can think faster than your teacher can speak. Use this to your advantage by evaluating what is being said and trying to anticipate what will be said next. Take good written notes about what your teacher says. While you can think faster than your teacher can speak, you cannot write faster than your teacher can speak. Taking notes requires you to make decisions about what to write, and you have to be an active listener to do this. Meet the Challenge. Don't give up and stop listening when you find the information being presented difficult to understand. Listen even more carefully at these times and work hard to understand what is being said. Don't be reluctant to ask questions. Triumph Over the Environment. The classroom may too noisy, too hot, too cold, too bright, or too dark. Don't give in to these inconveniences. Stay focused on the big picture - LEARNING. ![]() Writing Techniques Writing is an important form of communication. Good writers use different writing techniques to fit their purpose for writing. To be a good writer, you must master each of the following writing techniques.
1. Description Through description, a writer helps the reader use the senses of feeling, seeing, hearing, smelling, and tasting to experience what the writer experiences. Description helps the reader more clearly understand the people, places, and things about which the writer is writing. It is the most common form of writing. You will find descriptive writing in newspapers, magazines, books, and most other forms of written communication. 2. Exposition Through exposition , a writer informs, explains, and clarifies his/her ideas and thoughts. Exposition goes beyond description to help the reader understand with greater clarity and depth the ideas and thoughts of the writer. Expository writing, like descriptive writing, is commonly found in newspapers, magazines, books, and most other forms of written communication. 3. Narration Through narration, a writer tells a story. A story has characters, a setting, a time, a problem, attempts at solving the problem, and a solution to the problem. Bedtime stories are examples of short stories while novels are examples of long stories. The scripts written for movies and plays are further examples of narrative writing. 4. Persuasion Through persuasion , a writer tries to change a reader's point of view on a topic, subject, or position. The writer presents facts and opinions to get the reader to understand why something is right, wrong, or in between. Editorials, letters to the editor in newspapers and magazines, and the text for a political speech are examples of persuasive writing. 5. Comparison and Contrast Through comparison and contrast , a writer points out the similarities and differences about a topic. Comparison is used to show what is alike or in common. Contrast is used to show what is not alike or not in common. Describing living conditions in 1900 and living conditions today would allow for much comparison and contrast. By using the writing technique that fits your purpose, you will be able to communicate your ideas effectively. |
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